This article was published by the Great British Mag content team on 18 August 2021
There is no denying that Brexit has left us all in a bit of a muddle. If you are a student from the European Union coming to the UK, you might be scratching your head wondering how much you have to pay and what funding you are eligible for. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in this article.
Tuition Fees
One of the biggest downsides of Brexit has been a major change to EU tuition fees. If you are confused about how much you will have to pay, this will depend on when you start, or started, your course and how long you have been living in the UK for.
If you have started your course on or before the academic year 2020/2021, then there will be no change applied – you are still eligible for ‘home fees.’ Similarly, if you are starting your course in the academic year 2021/2022 but are an EU national that has pre-settled status and has been living in the UK for 3 years or more, you are also eligible for ‘home fees.’
However, if you are starting your course in the academic year 2021/2022 and have lived in the UK for less than 3 years (or not at all) you will no longer be eligible for ‘home fees.’ This means that you will now have to pay ‘international fees’ which are between £10,000 and £40,000 per year, depending on your course.
Funding
Funding has also undergone a major change. From the academic year 2021/2022, most EU students coming to the UK will not be eligible for any kind of UK government funding.
As with tuition fees, you can still apply for funding if you have started your course on or before the start of the academic year 2020/2021. You can also apply for funding if you start your course in the academic year 2021/2022 and you are an EU national that has pre-settled status and has lived in the UK for 3 years or more.
Potential funding will depend on whether you go to university in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. It will be likely that some or all of your tuition fees will be covered and depending on your circumstances, you might be able to access a bursary or loan.
Scholarships & bursaries
If these changes have left you worried or unsure how you will afford university in the UK – do not despair! There are many different types of scholarships and bursaries that you can apply for. These will give you a sum of money to put towards your studies. Applying for just one bursary will probably not cover your tuition fees, but you might be able to combine different scholarships and bursaries to make up the sum.
Scholarships and bursaries are often offered by governments and universities. If you are unsure of where to start, the best place to go would be your government’s website followed by your university’s website. Scholarships may be offered based on merit, or they might be offered on the basis of financial need.
Many universities are also offering EU students ‘tuition fee’ scholarships and reductions in the face of the changes that Brexit has rendered. Just check your university website to see their eligibility criteria.
You may also want to read
10 things to do before moving to the UK
What do the UK Covid-19 rule changes mean for international students?
